Gas system



F. S. BAIRD ETAL GAS SYSTEM March 4,

7 Filed Jan. 24, 1938 54162727? 6. Baird m myzawra ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES GAS SYSTEM Frederick s. Baird and Bolton '1'. Harris,

Little Rock, Ark.

Application January 24, 1938; Serial No. 186,755 3 Claims. (01. 62-1) This invention relates to gas plants of the butane type primarily used in rural districts for domestic andsimilar uses and has for its primary object the provision of a system which 5 assures eflicient operation in summer and winter weather and permits the main or major supply tank to be located above the surface of the ground so that care such as the painting of the tank may be easily carried outto prevent rusting l and corrosion thereof and the use of asmall auxiliary tank properly treated against deterioration due to the action of moisture and other elements of the surrounding ground thereon yet being heat-conductive in character and located 15 below the surface of the ground and connected to the house supply line and the main tank in such a manner that gas may be supplied to the auxiliary tank from the main tank in warm or summer weather and liquefied gas may be sup- 20 plied to the auxiliary tank from the main tank for vaporization during cold or winter weather, the vaporization being brought about by the auxiliary tank being buried in the ground below the frost line and kept warmer than the main tank.

25 With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

30 For a complete understanding of our invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a gas system constructed 35 in accordance with our invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the character A indicates the surface of the ground and mounted above-the surface of said ground is a main tank I in which is placed liquefied gas 40 through the medium of a filling neck 2 normally closed by a removable cap 2. The main tank I is also provided with a conventional overflow pipe :3 with obvious means (not shown) to prevent the tank from being filled with liquefied gas be- 45 yond a predetermined amount and having a conventiohal, normally closed, but inwardly openable check valve in its outer end portion to prevent the escape of gas from the tank. The main tank is also provided with a pressure gage 5 of 50 am; well known construction and with a pressure relief valve 6; To enclose the gage, relief valve, filling neck and the overflow pipe a removable cover I is provided. One end of the tank is provided with a conventional type of rotary gage 8 55 for indicating the level of the liquid in the tank.

An outlet pipe 9 is connected to one end of the tank adjacent the bottom and an outlet. gas pipe I0 is connected to the top of the tank adjacent said last named end. A control valve II is located in the pipe l0 and a control valve i2 is 5 located-in the pipe 9. These pipes are connected together and extended into the ground for communicable connection with the lower portion of an underground auxiliary tank l3. The auxiliary tank, as shown at [4, may be directly paint- 10 ed with a suitable protective coating material and then provided with an outer covering of steel wool or other suitable metallic fibrous ma: terial to keep the tank from direct contact with the surrounding soil or otherwise treated externally to prevent rusting and corroding but permitting heat transfer through the walls thereof. The tank I3 is located in the ground well below the frost line and connected to the top thereof is a vent pipe I5 having a relief valve I6 capable of withstanding a predetermined pressure of gas within the auxiliary tank. A check valve I1 is located in the pipe connection between the maintank and the auxiliary tank and acts to permit flow of either liquefied gas or gas from the main tank to the auxiliary tank but preventing flow in the opposite direction. An outlet-pipe I8 is connected to the top of the auxiliary tank and extends above the surface of the ground and has connected therein a 7 control valve l9 and a regulating valve 20. The outlet pipe l8 after passing'above the surface of the ground is returned to extend under the ground for connection with the service pipe 2| of a house or like device. It is' preferable that the service pipe be located below the frost line in the ground.

In summer weather the control valve i2 is closed and the control valve II is opened. The liquefied gas in the main tank in summer weather 40 is vaporized and passes to the auxiliary tank l3 and thence to the service pipe 2| in regulated amount. In winter weather the valve it is closed and the valve 82 is opened allowing liquefied gas to gravitate into the lower portion of the auxiliary tank and partially fill the same as indicated-in the drawing. The aum'liary tank being buried in the ground is kept warm so that the liquefied gas will vaporize in the auxiliary tank and pass therefrom in the service pipe in regulated amount. In this connection, it is noted that in cold weather the pressure in the upper portion of the auxiliary tank is greater than the pressure in the main tank because of the regulated flow of gas from the auxiliary tank through, a permanently installed main tank loof above thesurface of the ground to contain above the surface of the ground permits better through the service pipe to the utility where the liquefied gas capable of vaporization at certain gas is consumed and the accumulation of the temperatures within the main tank, an auxiliary gas resulting from the vaporization of the liquetank embedded below the frost line in the ground fled gas received in the auxiliary tank. Hence, to be thereby naturally heated so as to prevent the liquefied gas will never completely fill the the contents thereof from condensing, abranched auxiliary tank but only partially fill it as just pipe connected communicably to the upper and above noted. Having the main tank located lower portions respectively of said main tank and to the auxiliary tank and having selective care to be taken thereof so as to prevent corrocontrollingvalves whereby gas from .the upper sion and rusting. The use of the auxiliary tank portion of the main tank may be conducted to the embedded in the ground assures successful opauxiliary tank or liquefied gas may be conducted eration of the system in the winter time. from the lower portion of the main tank to the The outlet pipe l8 and the valves thereof auxiliary tank alternatively, a relief valve con which are located above the surface of the ground nected to the auxiliary tank and located above are protected by a casing 22. the surface of the ground, means communicably What is claimed is: connecting the auxiliary tankto the service pipe 1. In a gas system of the character described, and including a regulator and a control valve a service pipe located in the ground to prevent located above the surface of the ground, and a condensation of gas passing therethrough, a protective casing for the above-surface parts of 2 permanently installed main tank located above said means. the surface of the ground tocontain and vapor- 3. In a gas system of the character described, ize liquefied gas, and selectively controllable a service pipe located in the ground to be theremeans communicably connecting the main tank by naturally heated so as to prevent condensato said service pipe and including piping and an on of gas p ssin ther hrough, a p rman n y interposed underground auxiliary tank for the transmission of gas from the main tank to said service pipe in warm weather and for the recepface of theground to contain liq efi 8 an tion and vaporization of liquefied gas from the in w h Said liq flfi d s y vap ize rin main tank to accordingly supply th rvice pipe warm weather, an auxiliary tank embedded in throughout the extent thereof above the surwith gas in cold weather, said auxiliary tankj the ground to be thereby naturally heated so as being encased in a protective covering to keep the""'to cause vaporization of liquefied gas therein tank from direct contact with the surrounding and maintain the product of vaporizationin its soil but of inherent conductivity to maintain the gaseous state, means communicably connecting flow of heat from the sofl to the tank.

2. In a gas system of the character described,

a service pipe located below the frost line in the for alternatively supplying either liquefied gas ground to be thereby naturally heated so as to or gas resulting fromvaporization of the liqueprevent condensation of gas passing therefled gas in the main tank to the auxiliary tank,

at will.

FREDERICK S. BAIRD.

'cated and exposed throughout the extent there- BOLTON T. HARRIS.

installed main tank located and exposed 25 the auxiliary tank from the top thereof to the I service pipe, and selectively controllable means 

